[PeterPrinciple]

I worry that being outed as something other than a typical New York liberal will make things fairly uncomfortable in the office.

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You could always have a hobby of asking them “dumb” questions. Use the Columbo technique.

[Oratam]

I always think of something I could've said that would've been vague, clever, and even thought provoking much, much later.

I think I go through a mild shock from these experiences as they come from completely out of the blue. I need to memorize a series of stock phrases along the lines of "this, too, shall pass" that will work in any lib situation.